Bayesian inference of antigenic and non-antigenic variables from haemagglutination inhibition assays for influenza surveillance.

ABSTRACT: Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays are typically used for comparing and characterizing influenza viruses. Data obtained from the assays (titres) are used quantitatively to determine antigenic differences between influenza strains. However, the use of these titres has been criticized as they sometimes fail to capture accurate antigenic differences between strains. Our previous analytical work revealed how antigenic and non-antigenic variables contribute to the titres. Building on this previous work, we have developed a Bayesian method for decoupling antigenic and non-antigenic contributions to the titres in this paper. We apply this method to a compendium of HI titres of influenza A (H3N2) viruses curated from 1968 to 2016. Remarkably, the results of this fit indicate that the non-ant

SUBMITTER: Adabor ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6083687 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature